BRIEFLY

BP America Inc., the U.S. arm of British Petroleum Co., said it has offered to buy a Texas natural gas company, Lear Petroleum Corp., in a deal valued at about $250 million. If successful, the $2.65-per-share acquisition of the gas pipeline company would be BP's largest since it merged its U.S. operations with Standard Oil Co. and would expand its natural gas operations. Dallas-based Lear said it would review the unsolicited BP offer, adding that there had been no communication between the two sides.